The state of human rights in Georgia sharply deteriorated in 2025, according to Human Rights Watch’s World Report 2026, which covers developments affecting human rights in more than 100 countries worldwide.

“Georgia’s human rights record sharply deteriorated in 2025 as the ruling Georgian Dream party adopted sweeping laws aimed at decimating the country’s vibrant civil society and silencing critical media. Authorities also excessively interfered with largely peaceful protests. The measures go against Georgia’s human rights commitments on freedoms of expression, assembly, and association, as well as on equality and non-discrimination,” the report states.

According to the report, the new ‘foreign agents’ law adopted in March requires organizations and individuals receiving foreign funding to register in a state registry. Other repressive amendments require government approval for all foreign grants and impose additional restrictions on peaceful protests, independent media, and freedom of speech.

The report also addresses the local self-government elections held in Georgia in October 2025.

“The October municipal elections were held amid a sweeping crackdown on dissent and a partial opposition boycott. On election day, tens of thousands of people rallied to protest the government’s repressive policies. The demonstration escalated into unrest when some protesters attempted to storm the presidential palace. Police arrested over 60 people on charges of inciting violent overthrow and attempting to change the constitutional order,” the report notes.

Human Rights Watch writes that the European Union and its member states condemned Georgia’s democratic backsliding.

“They stated that Georgia’s EU accession process is ‘de facto stalled’ and urged Georgia to repeal the repressive laws,” the organization reports.

The report also discusses the detention of opposition politicians.

“Courts convicted eight opposition politicians, including six opposition party leaders, sentencing them to months in jail for boycotting the ruling party’s parliamentary investigative commission tasked with probing alleged crimes by the former President Mikheil Saakashvili’s government. Two of them were released under a presidential pardon in September,” Human Rights Watch notes.

The organization’s report also covers the state of freedom of expression and media in Georgia in 2025.

“In April, parliament adopted amendments to the Broadcasting Law, banning all foreign funding and in-kind assistance to broadcast media and expanding the power of the Communications Commission, a body dominated by ruling party appointees, to regulate broadcasters’ content. Local groups warned the changes would stifle critical and independent media.

In June, the ruling party filed complaints with the Communications Commission against two major opposition-leaning channels, Formula and TV Pirveli, for, among other things, questioning the government’s legitimacy in their reporting language. The complaint challenges the use of such language as'“illegitimate government,' 'regime,' and 'state capture'. The commission has the authority to impose sanctions, ranging from warning and corrective actions to suspension or revocation of a broadcasting license,” the report states.